SYDNEY, Nov 12, 2007 (AFP) - Street racers in Australia will soon see their beloved cars being deliberately smashed by the authorities in videos posted on the Internet.

The often flashy, souped-up vehicles will be wrecked in crash tests under laboratory conditions, the New South Wales state government announced.

"Video footage of these once-prized possessions being turned into splintered, twisted scrap will be the clearest message yet to hoons (hooligans) that we're serious about stamping out their behaviour and saving lives in the
process," said state police minister David Campbell.

The move follows a series of high-speed crashes involving young men racing through city streets in which innocent motorists have been killed or injured.

"Car hoons engage in potentially lethal, property destroying, anti-social behaviour," state premier Morris Iemma said in a statement.

"We're turning the tables. We'll destroy their property - but do it for the right reasons."

The destruction of the vehicles would provide valuable crash analysis while footage of the destruction would be used as a deterrent.

"The modified, loud and often illegal vehicles confiscated from car hoons will be smashed to pieces in our crash labs, the results filmed and analysed, and the wrecks shown to other young drivers as a warning," Iemma said.

Offenders will have to be convicted of street racing before the vehicles can be destroyed.